Another Path Chosen

[chosenbylightning]

He called himself Savitar. God of speed.
What an asshole.

Barry had no interest in the metal suit, the promise of immortality or any of it. He just wanted to be left in peace. And maybe run a few con jobs on the side. But damnit, as soon as Savitar threatened other versions, other Barry Allen's who might have had better lives than his?

Screw it.

He had to try. He had to go. Running through time until the very fabric of reality shattered. The least he could do was warn the guy, right?

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[commanderspecs]

He has just started to put the first batch in the oven when Barry finally comes home. He takes note of the STAR Labs get up and surmises that Caitlin possibly wanted him to pee in a cup again. He holds up a floury finger at both of them in a wait gesture.

"Barry, wait. This is--this is Barry as well. But he came to warn us about Savitar and I thought it would be best to leave it to you to explain since I hadn't seen or met the Savitar you talked about."

[chosenbylightning]

For his part, Barry is at the kitchen table, beer in hand and jacket hung by the door because he got tired of being harassed about just tossing it on a chair. Tattoos wind up both arms and he looks frankly annoyed at the entire situation.

"Can we just deal with this so I can go home?"

This helping people thing, even if it's helping himself, is a headache.

[adultflash]

Barry sighs at...well, himself, dragging a hand down his face. Can't he just have one vaguely normal day? He really doesn't like talking about Savitar, either.

"If you're really coming to warn us about Savitar, you're a little bit late. He was killed months ago. By my fiancee at the time, while he was trying to kill me. We were trying to get him back into the Speed Force, but it didn't work out that way. The Speed Force still needed a speedster though, so it took me instead. I was trapped there for six months, Earth time."

He glances at his other self's tattoos, and the way he carries himself, but if he doesn't want to stay and chat, Barry won't make him. "Questions?"

[commanderspecs]

He waits, waiting to see how the other would react. He stays behind in the kitchen, watching the exchange. He can’t get in between the two, not with both of them being speedsters.

“I...actually offered for Barry to stay. For dinner. I made enough for the three of us.”

As a partial apology for harassing him to hang his jacket and maybe being sharp about not having his feet on the table.

[chosenbylightning]

"Wait, hang on. Months ago?" He drags a hand across his face in an oddly similar gesture. "Goddamn Speed Force."

"So either time moved differently or the Speed Force just held on to me for months. Great." He sets down his beer. "Well, not like anyone would miss me back home."

Which means he can either go, or stay for dinner.

[adultflash]

"Could be either," Barry allows, his tone a little more gentle after Barry says no one would miss him. "You might as well stay, since Barry's gone to all this effort. Besides, it's nice to meet another version of me who isn't evil."

Despite his other self's appearance, the fact that he really did come to warn him, as late as he was, speaks volumes to Barry about his character.

[commanderspecs]

It’s times like these that Barry wishes he also is a part of the speed force, just so he could have set a coaster down underneath the beer bottle. He can’t control his own facial expressions as he hears that no one would miss him.

“You also already hung up your coat. Might as well stay.”

[chosenbylightning]

The dinner does smell good, kicking up old memories of his life before things went sideways, before his old man killed his mother. Barry nods.

"Okay. If you're good with it, I'll need to fuel up before going home anyway." He rubs his neck. "I don't even know how long I've been away."

Stupid speed force.

[adultflash]

"Yeah, I'm good with it. Consider it a thank you, even if you showed up late," he says, teasing this new version of himself a little.

"But yeah, time can be weird like that when you're dealing with the Speed Force. Hopefully you weren't gone too long. Are you also the Flash, like me?" he asks, curious. Just because his self was a speedster doesn't mean he's taken that route.

[commanderspecs]

Barry lets out a breath he doesn't realize he had been holding. He goes right back to checking on the pies and pulling them out before they burned up. They could talk Flash things.

He opens the door and pulls out the tray, smiling at how it always reminds him of his childhood and his mother.

"Are you also a CSI on your Earth?"

[chosenbylightning]

"Yeah, a few months late at that." His nose wrinkles. That'll teach him for trying to do something right. He sets down his beer at the question. "Am I the what now? Flash?"

He tips his head at the second question. "Do I look like a CSI? I run cards, the odd job, but what I do isn't what you'd call legitimate earnings."

"I don't know about you guys but after my old man killed my mom I bounced around foster homes until I aged out of the system."

[adultflash]

Barry just kind of stares at himself for a minute, before finally taking a seat across from him. Because he really needs to sit down. "He didn't. Kill my mom. It wasn't him. He was blamed for it, got thrown into Iron Heights, but I knew it wasn't him, and I was right. It was another speedster who had traveled back in time, but dad got charged for her murder instead."

He'll get to the Flash thing in a minute, but his brain is kind of stuck on that.

[commanderspecs]

It’s hard for him to hear. Both of them can say that Nora was no part of their lives. It sounded like Henry was not a part of their lives either. Barry remains silent. It had been strange to hear his mom describe the phone call that he never made.

When the time is right, he reminds himself, then he’ll take Barry and perhaps this other Barry to his parents. He looks down at the three pies that are cooling and carefully takes them over to the kitchen table.

[chosenbylightning]

"Yeah well, different worlds, right?" His smile is bitter as he salutes his double with his beer. "Your world your old man didn't do it, you got to become a CSI and a Speedster. Me? I got bounced around some crap homes and wound up on the streets. Lucky me."

He rakes long fingers through his hair.

"Different worlds I guess."

Barry's gaze flicks to the quieter version in the kitchen. "Lemme guess. You're the lucky one." His voice isn't bitter, it's simply resigned.

[adultflash]

"Lucky or not, you're still one of us," Barry murmurs, giving his self from Earth 2 a significant glance. They're going to have to talk about how they can help the newest addition to the Barry Allen club.

"And I can only speak for myself, no pun intended, but my home is always open to other versions of me," he insists. "Speaking of which, this smells amazing, thank you. You didn't have to go to all this effort." He helps himself to a pie, savoring how it smells before he digs in.

[commanderspecs]

Barry sits down at the table, placing the napkin neatly on his lap and looking over to the rake. There's no anger there, no hate, no pity, just a sadness. He can be considered the lucky one with Nora and Henry in his life. But he isn't the one that bravely goes out into the world like the other two. He keeps his opinion to himself.

"You both better eat up, then. Because I did not make this many just to be stuck back in the icebox. I've already got a cake in there that I put in this morning."

[chosenbylightning]

This is all.. weird. And not just sitting down to eat with two other versions of himself. The apartment is warm and homey, there's freshly made food and voices that are kind.

He hasn't had this in so very long Barry isn't sure if he wants to run from it or bury himself in it.

Then his stomach reminds him that maybe he should stop thinking and just eat. And he eats. And eats. And the food is better than good, it's amazing. Tender chicken, soft crust, bright and sweet vegetables.

"I can't remember the last time I was actually full." Then Barry is up in a blur, dishes done in a moment because that's easier than thinking about his past or facing more questions.

It's also the closest he can manage to a thank you.

[adultflash]

Barry inhales the meal too, enjoying every tasty bite thoroughly. It does bring back fond memories, but not in a way that makes him sad. Just warm and content. "That was incredible, Barry, thank you. Remind me to cook for you one of these days.

When his self does the dishes in a blur, Barry follows his movements (he is a fellow speedster, after all), and when he's done, he stands to wrap him in a gentle hug. "Any time you need a warm meal, you come to one of us, okay?"

[commanderspecs]

He is barely done with his own by the time both of them finish. The sight of empty plates does make Barry swell with a sense of pride, only for it to be gone within the blink of an eye, leaving Barry sitting there with his hand in the air where his fork had been. He looks over to see the dishes washed, dried and neatly stacked in a gust of wind.

Barry shakes his head, amazed at how quickly he has gotten used to the rush of air that signals Barry's presence and beginning to use paperweights to keep any of his work down. This new Barry...Barry's heart goes out to him, with his rough life. He gets up as well and moves over, nodding and hugging the both of them.

"I'm on Earth-2. Or what he calls Earth-2. We, obviously, don't call ourselves Earth-2."

[chosenbylightning]

He's looking for a reason to go, obviously he's intruding on something warm and special between them both. But then his speedster double is wrapping him up in a hug and he goes rigid for a long moment.

When was the last time he was hugged like that?

There's the barest shudder as he dares to lean into it. Their lives are domestic. Stable. Things he used to dream about as a kid.

"I'm not sure what number I'm on," he admits, hating the way his voice cracks.

[adultflash]

"We'll figure it out, okay?" Barry reassures him, sliding one hand up to run his fingers through his self's hair. He expects he'll like it as much as they do. The group hug is really nice for him, too, and he settles into it easily, leaning his head against his Earth 2 self's shoulder.

"Both of us are CSIs, actually. I'm just the Flash in my spare time. I wear a red suit, and try to protect Central City from any threat I can."

[commanderspecs]

Barry simply holds both of them. Both...well, both had super powers. And both in need of something he, just Barry Allen, could offer to both of them. A warm home and meal to come home to. He leans and touches his forehead to the new Barry's temple, offering him another means of comfort.

"I'm just...Barry Allen. I'm a CSI in Central City and try to protect the city that way," he offers, "But if you ever come by my Earth, you always are welcome in my apartment as well."

[chosenbylightning]

A hero in a red suit. Both of them cops.

Him? He was nothing. Just a criminal and a con man struggling to get by and to cope with his speed while dodging the assholes at STAR Labs. But now that he's seen not one but two versions of himself? Maybe he can change too. Maybe he can be something a little better than what he was.

"I'm a criminal," he confesses softly. "I started stealing because I had nothing. Because I couldn't trust anyone else."

"I can't promise a decent place to stay or even good food." His eyes close. "But if you call.. I'll come."

[adultflash]

"That's important too," Barry says, his tone utterly genuine. "Just as much as being cared for. If I can count on you...it means everything to me. I'm not going to judge you for being a thief."

He chuckles a little. "Besides, you wouldn't be the first thief I've been friends with." He might inspire him to be a hero, but it's not actually something he does on purpose.

[commanderspecs]

Barry pulls away for a moment, then shakes his head and hugs them again.

"My life has taken a real humdinger of a twist," he chuckles. "Time remnants, facing metas, breaches." Still holding onto both of them, he grins a little. "This just means one more for our Commander Carl marathon. I've brought the entire first season and formatted this copy to fit the devices here. Oh you're going to love it, Barry."

He gives his Barry a gentle squeeze then grabs the other Barry by the arm.